Agrihouse Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council has launched the 11th edition of the Annual Pre-harvest Agribusiness Exhibitions and Conference event.

Speaking at the launch, West Africa Regional Director for Yara International, Danquah Addo-Yobo re-emphasised the need for farmers to increase their business network.

According to him, this is paramount to reaching a wider market.

“I think we miss the point to make business, while driving agricultural growth. This avenue creates a platform for consolidating smallholder farmers, hence farmers should take advantage of it to network,” he said. 

He also reiterated its commitment to ensuring that there are enough fertilisers on the market.

Accordingly Mr. Addo-Yobo said the current scarcity of fertilizer is a challenge facing the industry worldwide, but he believes the situation will change soon as the main planting season is almost over.

“The current ferlitiser situation is not limited to Ghana but it has affected the international market as well. The international fertilizer market has seen significant increase in prices and logistics complexities. This is something we haven’t seen in over 10 years. Obviously in situations like this, affordability becomes a challenge, logistics also become a challenge.”

“Our global strength comes to play in a difficult time like this, where we have continued very good import, availability of products in the system. But some quantities of fertilisers were in the system during the main season but the major challenge will be how to supply the minor season,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of Agri-house Foundation, Alberta Akosa says her outfit is targeting over 3,000 participants this year.

She’s hopeful that in a few years to come, there will be an Agri-village as the chief of Banvim Traditional area has donated a 10-acre land to host the Annual Pre-harvest Agribusiness Exhibitions and Conference. “Over the years, we’ve really had challenges where to hold the programme because we have grown from 200 participants to about 3000 participants. So last year, we made a call to the people of the north and this year they have donated a 10-acre land to help us build the Agri-village,” s